Operators whose fleets have never suffered a diesel spillage have little idea of the substantial costs they and their driver could face, which can amount to thousands of pounds and result in prosecution and higher insurance premiums.
According to research set out in the recently published National Highways Diesel Spillages Best Practice Guide, many operators are unaware of the high costs diesel spillages and, as a result, have failed to invest in spillage protection equipment and failed to put plans in place to prevent and control spills.
However, with liability for costs related to the management and cleaning up of spills the responsibility of the operator, or the driver who allowed the spillage to occur, this could prove to be a very expensive oversight, the guide warns.
National Highways is able to recover the costs, via insurance, from fleet operators found to be responsible for diesel spillages, with the size of the cost dependent on the size of the spill and the extent of the repairs necessary to restore the condition of the road.
In addition, drivers can also be prosecuted under Section 161(1) of the Highways Act 1980, which carries a fine of up to £1,000.
DVSA can also weight in, with diesel spillage related fines issued by DVSA amounting to a £50 to £300 non-endorsable fine or a £100 to £200 endorsable fine and three penalty points on the driver’s licence, depending on the severity of the offence.
The guide also warns that fines for operators can be considerably more and fines from the Environment Agency can be unlimited upon conviction.
It cites four case studies where operators were pursued for costs of £2,397; £21,075m; £49,534; and £123,380.
With this in mind National Highways is calling on operators and drivers to read its guide and educate themselves how to prevent diesel spills and what to do in the event of a diesel spillage incident.
The guide provides driver handouts with an easy to follow summary and step-by-step approach to managing diesel spillages, which National Highways recommends should be handed to drivers as part of their Health and Safety/PPE pack and kept in the cab until needed.
It also recommends driver walk around checks include looking for issues that could cause diesel spills.
There is also a checklist of the root causes of diesel spills in the guide.
These include traffic collisions; failure to fully close the filler cap; driving with a faulty or missing filler cap; over filling the fuel tan; and the absence of anti-spill devices fitted into the tank.
Other causes include mechanical failures and fuel system defects; ruptured tanks; and leakage from a corroded or rusty tank.
The National Highways Diesel Spillages Best Practice Guide for Commercial Vehicle Drivers and Operators can be downloaded here.
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